How to Choose a Quiver Based on Your Style of Archery

An arrow quiver, a device used to hold arrows, making them easily accessible while shooting a bow, is an accessory often overlooked by beginners. However, choosing the right quiver is crucial to ensure a successful and enjoyable archery experience. But which one should you go with?

In this post, we will guide you through the process of selecting the perfect quiver based on your archery style. We will cover different quiver types, their features, and their benefits and downsides. Once you finish reading, you will have a clear understanding of what compliments your style and makes your experience more delightful.

What Are Different Types of Quivers

The three basic types include the hip/side quiver, back quiver, and bow-mounted quiver.

Hip/Side Quivers

The quiver type is designed to attach to the waist on a belt loop or around a belt or clip to a pocket. It hangs from the archer's hip or side, making it easily accessible. It also allows for a faster reload compared to other types of quivers. Hip/side quivers can be worn on either side, and some models have additional features such as pockets, making them versatile and practical.

However, a hip quiver designed to be angled forward (a target quiver) can sway and hit the archer's side while moving through bushes and shooting in the field or at a 3D range. To prevent this problem, archers can position the quiver behind, on the back of their thighs, or opt for a field quiver designed to position arrows pointing behind the archer’s arm. The only downside is that the archer won't be able to conveniently see what arrow they're pulling.

Back Quivers

Back quivers may be the most recognizable type due to their frequent use in movies and TV shows featuring medieval archers. This type of quiver is carried on the archer's back, allowing access to arrows without interference from the bowstring. However, pulling arrows from them can be slower than from hip/side quivers. Back quivers are popular for traditional archery or as a decorative piece for medieval costumes.

Back quivers require a bit of practice to be efficient and fast with, but, actually, it's not as hard as you might think. The thing is that your hand is already near the arrows after the shot so you can use it to your benefit. Another advantage is that they don't get in the way when moving. A drawback of using a back quiver is that it's possible to accidentally drop arrows when bending over. Another disadvantage is that archers can't see how many arrows are left.

Bow-mounted Quivers

Bow-mounted quivers are attached directly to the bow itself. While they are the most popular for compound bows, you can find options for traditional and recurve bows.

Bow-mounted quivers are commonly used by hunters, as they keep arrows close to their hands and allow to manipulate them quietly. However, bow-mounted quivers can add extra weight, cause balance issues, and produce increased vibrations, which can be counteracted with practice and additional devices such as stabilizers.

Though some hunters advise against using bow quivers, having a spare arrow close to your hands can be critical when hunting big game animals on the ground. Yes, you may miss the shot, but an animal may not suspect anything strange going on, giving you another chance. However, noises produced by you reaching far out for another arrow may put it to flight.

Matching A Quiver to Your Archery Style

Target Shooting

If you're into target shooting, a target hip quiver that can hold a sufficient amount of arrows is ideal. You may want to opt for a lightweight design with pockets.

Field Shooting and 3D Range Shooting

If field shooting or 3D range shooting is your thing, you'll have more freedom to move around with a field hip quiver or back quiver. A back quiver can be especially useful as it allows you to reload quickly. However, be mindful that if your field archery activities include a lot of bending over, a back quiver isn’t the best option to keep your arrows in place.

Hunting with a Compound Bow or Crossbow

For most people, bowhunting means using a compound bow or crossbow that ideally pairs with a detachable bow quiver. Bow quivers allow you to keep arrows close to your hand and manipulate them quietly in case of a missed shot, which is crucial when hunting edgy animals like deer.

However, not all people like the way compound bows work and feel, so they opt for less technological options like traditional longbows or recurve bows. Quivers for these bows do exist, but the range is not as wide as for compound bows.

Recreational Shooting

For recreational shooting, a back quiver or side quiver will work well because they can hold more arrows than bow-mounted quivers, limited to a capacity of 4-6 arrows.

Conclusion

Matching a quiver to your archery style is a pretty straightforward process. If you are mostly a target shooter, opt for target hip quivers. On the other hand, for field or 3D range shooting, a field hip quiver or back quiver may be more practical. For hunting, bow quivers are often preferred. Finally, if you are shooting for recreation, any quiver will do its job except a bow-mounted quiver because of its limited capacity, shifted balance, and extra weight.

At GRITR Sports, we have a great variety of archery quivers for right- and left-handed archers, so don't be shy to check them out.